Stacking column

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a stacking column for storing goods on top of each other or next to each other on pawls ( 1 ) which rotate about a rotational axis ( 2 ) from an idle position into a working position. The respective successive pawls ( 1 ) are mutually coupled by means of at least one link plate ( 9 ). In order to reduce the gap or pitch (T) between adjacent pawls ( 1 ), the at least one link plate ( 9 ) is angular, elbowed or arc-shaped.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a stacking column for storing articlesone beside the other or one on top of the other on pawls which rotateabout an axis of rotation from a position of rest into a workingposition, the respective subsequent pawls being coupled to one anotherby means of at least one driver link plate.

Such stacking columns are known and available on the market in a varietyof shapes and designs. For example, a stacking column for storingarticles of the type mentioned at the beginning is disclosed anddescribed in DE 196 47 578.3.

In said document, individual pawls are also arranged spaced apart one ontop of the other so as to be rotatable with respect to one another, arotary movement and pivoting movement of the individual pawls beingcoupled to one another by means of driver link plates in order to permitindividual pawls, in particular extended pawls, to move back.

DE 100 00 371 A1 describes a grid system for accommodating components ina vertical position, in which components the individual latches or hooksfor holding objects are connected to one another by means of linearrigid control levers with elongated holes.

DE 94 08 344.4 discloses a toggle lever for a stacking column forstoring storable goods, in particular vehicle bodywork parts with asupporting arm which is assigned to an axis of rotation, a strip forholding the bodywork part being secured to the supporting arm.

DE 200 05 710 U1 discloses a latch lever for stacking columns having acounterweight which is formed directly from the lever itself.

DE 196 41 270 A1 describes a device for stacking and transporting shapedparts, the individual latches being constructed with axes of rotationand pin elements which engage in respective elongated holes of a sidepart.

The disadvantage in comparison with the stacking column described insaid document is that a reduction of the pitch, i.e. a distance betweentwo pawls with respect to one another, is not readily possible so thatthe pawl weights of the individual pawls as well as individual driverlink plates impede one another. In particular for thin components ofplanar design it is advantageous that significantly more components canbe accommodated in such stacking columns. For this purpose, the pitchmust be considerably reduced.

If the pitch is reduced, for example the counterweights are in contactwith one another so that the individual pawls cannot be moved along.

The smaller the pitch, the smaller a distance between a drilled hole andan elongated hole of the driver link plate, so that only a quitespecific pitch can be obtained.

A different form of stacking columns dispenses with counterweights, inwhich case, instead of counterweights, springs are provided whichrestore the individual pawls. Such a solution is costly and problematic,which relates in particular to the spring forces. Such springs are proneto faults and easily move the articles to be stored out of the pawlregion, which is also undesired. They are not self-locking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the object of providing a stackingcolumn of the type mentioned at the beginning which eliminates theabove-mentioned disadvantages and with which a pitch between two pawlswhich lie one beside the other and/or one on top of the other can easilyand effectively be reduced in a cost-effective manner. In this context,self-locking of pawls which are extended in a working position is to bepossible. In addition, such a stacking column is to be manufactured inextremely cost-effective fashion, and be operationally reliable and havea long service life.

The features, the features of the characterizing part of claim one andall the features of the independent patent claims bring about thesolution of this object.

The method of operation of stacking columns is described in detail in DE196 47 578.3 which is incorporated herein by reference. Reference isexpressly made here to this document and for this reason a more detaileddescription of the method of operation is dispensed with.

The present invention discloses a stacking column for storing articlessuch as, for example, pieces of sheet metal, engine hoods, mud flaps orthe like, in which it has proven particularly advantageous to give adriver link plate, which has a drilled hole and an elongated hole, anelbowed or arcuate or angled design.

This ensures that a pitch between two adjacent pawls can be reduced insuch a way since in particular an end region of the driver link plate inwhich the elongated hole is provided can be moved out of an activeregion of a pawl lying above it. As a result, it is possible not only toreduce the weights of the individual pawls, which affects their size,but also to significantly decrease the pitch so that significantly morepieces of sheet metal can be accommodated in a stacking column, orsignificantly more pawls can be accommodated in the stacking column.

It has also proven advantageous to store the counterweights in and/ornext to a pawl mount on a weight shaft, it also being the intention thatthe scope of the present invention will include mounting a multiplicityof counterweights thereon in order to reduce overall their diameters oroverall size. As a result, a pitch of individual pawls which lie one ontop of the other or one beside the other can also be reduced.

For the purpose of also reducing the diameters and possibly number ofthe counterweights it has proven advantageous to provide a supportingsurface with breakthroughs and/or recesses. As a result, the necessarycounterweight or counterweights can be reduced, which affects theiroverall size, diameters etc. This also contributes to permitting a pitchof adjacent pawls to be reduced significantly.

It has also proven advantageous in the present invention to provide, inthe side walls of the pawl mount, in particular in an outer edge, a stoprecess which interacts with a stop in a horizontal working position, andthus separate protection is also sought for this. The pitch of adjacentpawls can also be reduced by means of the stop recess.

The scope of the present invention is also intended to include the factthat the driver link plate can be arcuate, angled, or elbowed, inparticular in the region of the elongated hole. The invention is notrestricted to this. For example, the entire driver link plate can alsobe curved in the shape of a banana or in an arcuate shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge fromthe following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and withreference to the drawing; in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematically represented side view of a stacking columnaccording to the invention;

FIGS. 2 a, 2 b and 2 c show plan and side views of a driver link plateaccording to the invention;

FIGS. 3 a to 3 d show various views of a pawl according to the inventionfor insertion in a stacking column.

FIGS. 4 a to 4 d show various views of a further exemplary embodiment ofa further pawl;

FIGS. 5 a to 5 d show various views of a pawl mount.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to FIG. 1, a stacking column R according to the invention hasa multiplicity of pawls 1 which are arranged one on top of the other orone beside the other and which can be pivoted by means of axes 2 ofrotation in a housing 3 which is preferably U-shaped, a pawl mount 4being secured in a horizontal working position of a supporting surface5/16 by means of a stop 6 which is arranged in the housing 3. Theindividual pawls 1 or pawl mounts 4 which are arranged one on top of theother are also provided in each case with weight shafts 7 on which atleast one counterweight 8 is seated.

An important factor in the present invention is that the individualpawls 1, in particular the pawls which lie one on top of the other orone beside the other, are coupled between the respective weight shafts 7by means of at least one driver link plate 9.

It has proven particularly advantageous in the present invention to makethe driver link plate 9 elbowed, curved or angled, as indicated in FIG.1 and illustrated in enlarged form in FIGS. 2 a, 2 b and 2 c. As aresult, a region 10 of the driver link plate 9 is moved out of apivoting region or active region of the counterweight 8, lying above it,of a pawl 1 lying above it, in particular if the driver link plate 9, inparticular its region 10, is oriented with respect to a rear side 11 ofthe housing 3. Said driver link plate 9 is moved or pivoted out of theactive region of the counterweight 8 lying above it. FIGS. 2 a and 2 bshow a driver link plate 9 which at one end adjoins a drilled hole 12and an elongated hole 13 at a distance A, said elongated hole 13 endingin an end region 10. The elongated hole 13 includes a preferably acuteangle α with respect to the base element of the driver link plate 9.

Starting from a specific distance A which may be smaller or larger, itis intended also to lie within the scope of the present invention thatthe elongated hole 13 is elbowed, for example, in an arcuate shape to agreater or less extent, or angled. This is important in the presentinvention since as a result the end region 10 is moved out of the activeregion of the pawl 1 lying above it. As a result, a pitch T can besignificantly reduced. A pitch T is a distance between two adjacentpawls. As a result, a pitch T of less than 30 mm can be made as adistance between two pawls 1 and two adjacent supporting surfaces 5 in aworking position.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3 d, a pawl 1 is shown inwhich an approximately U-shaped pawl mount 4 is provided. The axis 2 ofrotation engages through its side walls 14. A supporting surface 5/16 isinserted into a base surface 15 of the pawl mount 4 (see also FIG. 3 d),and is permanently connected thereto by means of at least one attachmentelement 17.

So that the size and/or number of the counterweights 8 which are seatedon the weight shaft 7 can be reduced, and at the same time a large or awide supporting surface 16 continues to be ensured, it has also provenadvantageous in the present invention to provide at least one recess 18and/or at least one breakthrough 19 in the supporting surface 16. As aresult, the load-bearing force of the supporting surface 16 is notinfluenced but its weight is considerably reduced, which permits thecounterweights 8 to be reduced. If the counterweights 8 are madesmaller, a pitch, i.e. a distance between two pawls 1 which are arrangedone on top of the other can also be reduced.

As is apparent in particular from FIGS. 3 b and 3 b, the weight shaft 7of the pawl 1 which lies above it engages in the elongated hole 13 of alower driver link plate 9, the next driver link plate 9 adjoining, inthe way described above for the pawl 1 which lies above it (notillustrated here) on the same side or on the opposite side of the pawlmount 4, as illustrated in FIG. 3 b, the driver link plate 9 beingarcuate, angled or elbowed in the opposite direction to the support 16.

As is apparent in particular from FIGS. 4 a to 4 d, a further pawl 1 isdescribed, which corresponds approximately to the type described above.The difference is that its supporting surface 16 is inclined by an angleβ, as indicated in particular in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b. Here, theinclination of the supporting surface 16 through the angle β can bepositive or negative. The invention is not restricted to this. Moreover,the pawl 1 is composed of the above-described components.

FIGS. 5 a to 5 b show, inter alia as perspective views, the pawl mount 4which is formed from the base surface 15 and side walls 14 whichrespectively adjoin it, flush through-holes 20, 21 being provided forreceiving the axis 2 of rotation and weight shaft 7 rows 7.

It has also proven particularly advantageous to provide, for a stop 6 asalso indicated in FIGS. 1 and 5 c, a stop recess 22 in an outer edge 23of the side walls 14, which corresponds approximately to the contour ofthe stop 6. As a result, a stop takes place in a horizontal position ofuse of the pawl in a significantly more precise way, as a result ofwhich a pitch T or an overall distance between two adjacent pawls 1 canalso be reduced.

1. A stacking column for storing articles one beside the other or one ontop of the other, comprising pawls which rotate about an axis ofrotation from a position of rest into a working position and having aweight axle, respective subsequent pawls being coupled to one another byat least one driver link plate assembly wherein, in order to reduce apitch of adjacent pawls, the at least one driver link plate assemblycomprises a first driver link plate and a second driver link plate, eachof the first and second driver link plates having a round hole at afirst end and an elongated hole at a second end, and wherein the firstdriver link plate is disposed on the weight axle with the weight axleextending through the round hole and the second driver link plate isdisposed on the weight axle with the weight axle extending through theelongated hole.
 2. The stacking column as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe pawl has a pawl mount which is designed in the manner of a U throughwhich the axis of rotation engages, and further through which the weightshaft engages parallel to the axis of rotation.
 3. The stacking columnas claimed in claim 2, wherein the pawl mount has side walls throughwhich the weight shaft and the axis of rotation engage, each side wallbeing provided with a stop recess.
 4. The stacking column as claimed inclaim 2, wherein a supporting surface is formed at an angle with respectto a base surface of the pawl mount.
 5. The stacking column as claimedin claim 1, wherein the at least one driver link plate has a strip-likecross section, and is curved in a region of the elongated hole, wherebythe at least one driver link plate is mounted in a working position, outof an active region of a subsequent pawl lying above it.
 6. The stackingcolumn as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated hole is arranged ata distance from the round hole, and the driver link plate shape which isarcuate, angled or elbowed starts from the elongated hole.
 7. Thestacking column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weight shaft of alower pawl engages in the round hole of the second driver link plate,and the weight shaft of an upper pawl engages in the elongated hole ofthe first driver link plate, at least one of the first and second driverlink plates being oriented so as to be curved, elbowed or arcuate withrespect to a rear side of the housing.
 8. A stacking column for storingarticles one beside the other or one on top of the other, comprisingpawls which rotate about an axis of rotation from a position of restinto a working position and having a weight axle, respective subsequentpawls being coupled to one another by means of at least one driver linkplate assembly wherein, in order to reduce a pitch of adjacent pawls,the driver link plate assembly comprises a first driver link plate and asecond driver link plate each having a round hole and at a first end andan elongated hole at a second end, wherein at least one of the first andsecond driver link plates has a shape that is at least one of angled,elbowed and arcuate in a region of the elongated hole, and wherein thefirst driver link plate is disposed on the weight axle with the weightaxle extending through the round hole and the second driver link plateis disposed on the weight axle with the weight axle extending throughthe elongated hole.
 9. A stacking column for storing articles one besidethe other or one on top of the other, comprising pawls which rotateabout an axis of rotation from a position of rest into a workingposition, respective subsequent pawls being coupled to one another bymeans of at least one driver link plate assembly wherein, in order toreduce a pitch of adjacent pawls, at least one counterweight is arrangedon a weight shaft in at least one position selected from the groupconsisting of in the pawl and next to the pawl, wherein the at least onedriver link plate assembly comprises a first driver link plate and asecond driver link plate, each having a round hole at a first end and anelongated hole at a second end, and wherein the first driver link plateis disposed on the weight axle with the weight axle extending throughthe round hole and the second driver link plate is disposed on theweight axle with the weight axle extending through the elongated hole.10. A stacking column for storing articles one beside the other or oneon top of the other, comprising pawls which rotate about an axis ofrotation from a position of rest into a working position, respectivesubsequent pawls being coupled to one another by means of at leastdriver link plate assembly wherein, in order to reduce a pitch ofadjacent pawls, individual pawls are arranged one above the other or onenext to the other in a housing in a central, left-aligned orright-aligned arrangement, at least one counterweight being provided ineach case on a weight shaft in at least one position selected from thegroup consisting of in the pawl and next to the pawl, wherein the atleast one driver link plate assembly comprises a first driver link plateand a second driver link plate, each having a round hole at a first endand an elongated hole at a second end, and wherein the first driver linkplate is disposed on the weight axle with the weight axle extendingthrough the round hole and the second driver link plate is disposed onthe weight axle with the weight axle extending through the elongatedhole.
 11. A stacking column for storing articles one beside the other orone on top of the other, comprising pawls which rotate about an axis ofrotation from a position of rest into a working position and having aweight axle, respective subsequent pawls being coupled to one another bymeans of at least one driver link plate assembly, wherein, in order toreduce a pitch of adjacent pawls and in order to reduce a counterweight,a supporting surface of the pawl is at least partially provided withrecesses or breakthroughs, wherein the at least one driver link plateassembly comprises a first driver link plate and a second driver linkplate, each having a round hole at a first end and an elongated hole ata second end, and wherein the first driver link plate is disposed on theweight axle with the weight axle extending through the round hole andthe second driver link plate is disposed on the weight axle with theweight axle extending through the elongated hole.